Sunday

May 31, 2009 at 12:01 AMMay 31, 2009 at 4:22 AM

An initiative to let voters oust a sitting governor won approval Saturday in the Illinois House of Representatives, where members awaited consideration of another measure that would cap campaign contributions for the first time.

An initiative to let voters oust a sitting governor won approval Saturday in the Illinois House of Representatives, where members awaited consideration of another measure that would cap campaign contributions for the first time.

The recall proposal, House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 31, cleared the House on a 109-6 vote, and it now goes to the Senate.

If the legislation passes there, voters in the November 2010 election would be asked if they want recall power that would empower them to fire a governor before his or her term expires.

As the General Assembly heads toward its scheduled adjournment date Sunday, it wasn't certain when the Senate might vote on the recall plan. Under the Legislature's rules, the Senate can't vote on it before midnight Sunday, though it could act in the early-morning hours Monday.

Supporters of recall say the corruption charges against two consecutive governors, Republican George Ryan and Democrat Rod Blagojevich, have tarnished state government, and recall would give Illinoisans greater control.

"We must give the citizens the right to take their government back," said Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, the bill's sponsor.

Gov. Pat Quinn, a longtime supporter of recall, said he was pleased with the House vote.

Recall "strengthens the voters of Illinois that if a governor betrays the public trust, the people have the right of recall in Illinois," he said.

Some House members said Franks' recall plan should have been expanded to cover other statewide elected constitutional officers, as well as the governor.

Others raised questions about the recall procedure, which initially would require collecting signatures on an affidavit from 30 lawmakers -- senators and representatives from both political parties.

"If you read this carefully, it would appear to me that either caucus -- any of the four caucuses -- could stop a recall in its tracks by not having its members sign the necessary petition," said Rep. Bill Black, R-Danville.

If enough lawmakers' signatures were obtained on the recall affidavit, the next step would be to collect voters' signatures on petitions. The minimum would be 15 percent of the number of voters who cast ballots in the last gubernatorial election - roughly 750,000, based on the 2006 election.

Voters then would decide in a special election whether to recall a governor who has been in office for at least six months.

As of Saturday night, a House vote on another ethics-related proposal, dealing with campaign finance, still hadn't happened.

The plan, already approved by the Senate and backed by top Democrats, would impose limits on campaign contributions for the first time in Illinois.

But critics, including Republicans, have derided the legislation as weak, in part because it falls far short of the recommendations from the Illinois Reform Commission that Quinn created earlier this year.

Republican-backed proposals that would enact other Reform Commission recommendations, such as delaying Illinois' primary election from February to June, hit a roadblock on Saturday when a Democrat-dominated Senate panel sent them to a subcommittee.

"I take (it) that the Democrats are not interested in enacting the Collins commission recommendations," said Senate GOP Leader Christine Radogno of Lemont, who sponsored the measures.

Another measure that the House passed on Saturday would give the Senate new authority to confirm or reject the governor's appointees to boards and commissions. Supporters of the legislation, Senate Bill 1602, said it came in response to the influence-peddling convictions of onetime Blagojevich appointees Tony Rezko and Stuart Levine.

Adriana Colindres can be reached at (217) 782-6292 or adriana.colindres@sj-r.com

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.